1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an application switching method, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium encoded with an application switching program. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus into which an application program can be installed, an application switching method executed in the image forming apparatus, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium encoded with an application switching program for causing a computer to execute the application switching method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some recent image forming apparatuses, typified by multi-function peripherals (MFPs), allow application programs to be installed therein. A user can customize an MFP by installing therein an application program according to the type of usage.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-084383 describes an image forming apparatus in which portions common to applications are bracketed as a common system service, a platform is formed using the common system service and a versatile OS, and a printer application, a copy application, and other various applications are installed on the platform.
According to the conventional image forming apparatus, the portions common to applications are formed as a common system service on the platform. This means that, in the case where a hardware resource such as a keyboard is replaced with another one, or in the case where a new application program is developed, the platform itself may have to be changed.